Ventral tegmental area GABA neurons integrate positive and negative valence.

ABSTRACT: The ventral tegmental area (VTA) is classically linked to learning and reinforcement via the actions of dopamine neurons. Intermingled VTA GABA neurons are positioned to regulate dopamine, but we lack detailed insight into how this population contributes to behavior. Recording calcium activity in VTA dopamine and GABA neurons, we show that, while dopamine neurons were only responsive to appetitive events, GABA neurons actively encoded both appetitive and aversive stimuli. Critically, GABA neuron activity selectively integrated events when both valences were present. In a motivational conflict task, where rats weighed decisions to avoid shock or seek reward, GABA neuron activity scaled with escalating cost and predicted reward seeking. Optogenetic inhibition of GABA neurons disrupted reward

SUBMITTER: Stelzner ME 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12644471 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature